Posted in Investigations Pro Publica

Let’s recall what exactly Paul Manafort and Rudy Giuliani were doing in Ukraine

President Trump’s former campaign chairman and former lawyer worked with, between them, a deposed authoritarian president, a bevy of oligarchs, Russia-oriented politicians and alleged Russian spies.  by Ilya Marritz, ProPublica March 2, 2022 ProPublica is a…

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Posted in Homelessness Investigations Pro Publica

In San Francisco, hundreds of homes sit vacant

In spite of a growing Department of Homelessness with an annual budget of $598 million, eligible people still wait months or even years after being approved for assisted housing. Meanwhile, hundreds of units remain unused. by…

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Posted in Food Investigations Pro Publica Public Safety

America’s food safety system failed to stop a Salmonella epidemic. It’s still making people sick.

For years, a dangerous salmonella strain has sickened thousands and continues to spread through the chicken industry. The USDA knows about it. So do the companies. And yet, contaminated meat continues to be sold to consumers….

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Posted in Investigations Pro Publica

“The Liberty Way”: How Liberty University discourages and dismisses students’ reports of sexual assaults

The school founded by evangelist Jerry Falwell ignored reports of rape and threatened to punish accusers for breaking its moral code, say former students. An official who says he was fired for raising concerns calls it…

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The U.S.-Mexico border fence in Nogales, Arizona. Credit: Ariana Drehsler/AFP via Getty Images
Posted in Investigations Justice News Pro Publica

A secretive counterterrorism team interrogated dozens of citizens at the border

Government Report A report by a federal watchdog shows how the Trump administration flagged at least 51 citizens for interrogation at the border based on evidence as flimsy as once having ridden in a car with…

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Kurt Thigpen was met with vitriol shortly after he became a school board member in Washoe County, Nevada. Credit: David Calvert, special to ProPublica
Posted in Analysis Coronavirus Pro Publica

We’re losing our humanity, and the pandemic is to blame

“What the hell is happening? I feel like we are living on another planet. I don’t recognize anyone anymore.”  by Sarah Smith, ProPublica October 8, 2021   Kurt Thigpen clenched his hands around the edge of…

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Lisa Larson-Walker/ProPublica. Photos: Elon Musk (Tristar Media/Getty Images), Jeff Bezos (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images), Michael Bloomberg (Joshua Lott/AFP via Getty Images), Warren Buffett (Taylor Hill/FilmMagic/Getty Images)
Posted in Analysis Pro Publica Taxes Wealth

The Secret IRS files: Trove of never-before-seen records reveal how the wealthiest avoid income tax

ProPublica has obtained a vast cache of IRS information showing how billionaires like Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and Warren Buffett pay little in income tax compared to their massive wealth — sometimes, even nothing. by Jesse…

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Lawyers were stopped while crossing the U.S.-Mexico border and questioned by counterterrorism agents. Credit: Mario Tama/Getty Images
Posted in Abuse of power Analysis Pro Publica

Documents Show Trump Officials Used Secret Terrorism Unit to Question Lawyers at the Border

In newly disclosed records, Trump officials cited conspiracies about Antifa to justify interrogating immigration lawyers with a special terrorism unit. The documents also show that more lawyers were targeted than previously known. by Dara Lind  …

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Posted in News Pro Publica Right Wing Militias

In exclusive jailhouse letter, Capitol Riot defendant explains motives, remains boastful

The material obtained by ProPublica sheds light on the radicalization of a Jan. 6 defendant whom prosecutors have characterized as a “serious danger … not only to his family and Congress, but to the entire system…

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Photo illustration by Shoshana Gordon/ProPublica, source images: Shaun Griswold and Marjorie Childress/New Mexico in Depth, Ewingdo via Wikimedia Commons and Nathan Gibbs via Flickr
Posted in Hospitals Investigations Pro Publica

The Two Hospitals Have Similar Infant Death Rates — Until You Look at Extremely Premature Babies

Lax state oversight leaves unanswered questions about the deaths of extremely preterm babies at Albuquerque’s Lovelace Women’s Hospital, which markets itself as a state-of-the-art newborn facility. Experts say transparency could save lives. by Bryant Furlow, New…

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Posted in Pro Publica Taxes

How to file your state and federal taxes for free in 2021

by Kristen Doerer for ProPublica, Justin Elliott and Karim Doumar The ProPublica Free Tax Guide Free, Fact-Checked Tax Information. That’s All.   Most Americans are eligible for free tax-preparation services, but the truly free options can…

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Posted in Analysis Pro Publica Water

America’s drinking water is surprisingly easy to poison

The cyberbreach at a plant in Oldsmar, Florida, which could have resulted in a mass poisoning, was a reminder of a disturbing reality: Despite a decade of warnings, thousands of water systems around the country are…

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National Guard soldiers patrol the Capitol grounds in Washington, D.C., on March 6. Credit: Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
Posted in Analysis Investigations Pro Publica

6 Questions officials still haven’t answered after weeks of hearings on the Capitol attack

More than 15 hours of testimony failed to answer fundamental questions about the Capitol attack. Among them: Why national security officials responded differently to BLM protesters than to Trump supporters.   by Joaquin Sapien and Joshua…

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Posted in Analysis Investigations Pro Publica Voter suppression

After a wave of violent threats against election workers, Georgia sees few arrests

For nearly a year, election administrators across the country weathered the pandemic while facing attacks and threats — leading many officials to resign or retire. In Georgia, little was done to prevent it from happening again….

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Savannah and Sam Peyton, who were without power for days last week, huddle in multiple layers under a sleeping bag at their home in Austin, Texas, on Thursday night, Feb. 18, 2021. Temperatures plummeted to the teens and single digits across Texas, and at least 58 have died in storm-affected areas across the country from causes including carbon monoxide poisoning, car crashes, drownings, house fires and hypothermia. Credit: Tamir Kalifa/The New York Times/Redux
Posted in Accountability Analysis Energy Pro Publica

“Power companies get exactly what they want”: How Texas repeatedly failed to protect its power grid against extreme weather

Texas regulators and lawmakers knew about the grid’s vulnerabilities for years, but time and again they furthered the interests of large electricity providers. by Jeremy Schwartz, Kiah Collier and Vianna Davila, ProPublica/Tx Tribune Tuesday, February 23,…

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Posted in Accountability Analysis Policing Pro Publica

“I don’t trust the people above me”: Riot squad cops open up about disastrous response to Capitol insurrection

Interviews with 19 current and former officers show how failures of leadership and communication put hundreds of Capitol cops at risk and allowed rioters to get dangerously close to members of Congress. by Joaquin Sapien and…

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Evidence used by prosecutors in Steven Carrillo’s case included a patch of the Boogaloo flag on a ballistic vest found in a vehicle registered to him. (United States District Court for the Northern District of California)
Posted in Analysis Pro Publica Right Wing Militias

The Boogaloo Bois Have Guns, Criminal Records and Military Training. Now They Want to Overthrow the Government.

ProPublica and FRONTLINE have identified more than twenty members with ties to the armed forces. by A.C. Thompson, ProPublica, and Lila Hassan and Karim Hajj, FRONTLINE Hours after the attack on the Capitol ended, a group…

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Posted in Journalism Pro Publica

ProPublica and The Pudding offer scholarships to help pay for your journalism expenses in 2021.

25 scholarships to help you attend a journalism conference and/or to support your work. by Adriana Gallardo, Ash Ngu and Mollie Simon We are proud to announce our sixth annual scholarship program. This year we are…

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Posted in Analysis Coronavirus Investigations Pro Publica

How Operation Warp Speed created vaccination chaos

States are struggling to plan their vaccination programs with just one week’s notice for how many doses they’ll receive from the federal government. The incoming Biden administration is deciding what to do with this dysfunctional system….

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Posted in Analysis Pro Publica QAnon Right Wing Militias

Over 500 videos, inside the Capitol Riot: what the Parler videos reveal

The trove of more than 500 videos recovered from a largely pro-Trump social platform provides a uniquely immersive account of the violence and confusion as seen from inside the insurrection. by Alec MacGillis Sunday, January 17,…

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Posted in Coronavirus Pro Publica

Memphis-area residents without internet must wait days for vaccination appointments, while others go to the front of the line

The county’s decision to prioritize vaccinations for internet users — and its failure to set aside any appointments for callers — raises issues of equity and access, say experts. by Wendi C. Thomas and Hannah Grabenstein,…

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Posted in Analysis Democracy Investigations Pro Publica Right Wing Militias

Members of several well-known hate groups identified at Capitol riot

A ProPublica-FRONTLINE review of the insurrection found several noted hardcore nativists and white nationalists who also participated in the 2017 white power rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. by A.C. Thompson and Ford Fischer Saturday, Jan. 9, 10:15…

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Posted in Analysis Pro Publica Right Wing Militias

Domestic Terrorism: A more urgent threat, but weaker laws

Authorities dissuaded some extremists from traveling to Washington, and shared intelligence with Capitol Police, but could not stop the mob that stormed the Capitol, a senior FBI official says. by Sebastian Rotella  In the days leading…

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Posted in Analysis Pro Publica Right Wing Militias

Capitol rioters planned for weeks in plain sight. The police weren’t ready.

Insurrectionists made no effort to hide their intentions, but law enforcement protecting Congress was caught flat-footed. by Logan Jaffe, Lydia DePillis, Isaac Arnsdorf and J. David McSwane The invasion of the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday was…

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